Farmhouse Smash Burgers
A smash burger is a technique, not a recipe. You need a hot surface, a loose ball of beef, and a firm press. The crust comes from contact, so the flatter and harder you press in the first thirty seconds, the better the burger.
- Cut
- Ground Beef
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Total
- 18 min
- Serves
- 4
- Season
- Year-Round
- Method
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1½ lb Alaron Farms ground beef (80/20 if available)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp coarse black pepper
- 4 slices American or cheddar cheese
- 4 soft burger buns
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 yellow onion, shaved thin (optional)
What You'll Need
- Cast-iron skillet, griddle or flat-top
- Sturdy metal spatula
- Parchment paper squares
Before You Start
- Divide the beef into 4 loose balls of about 6 oz each. Do not compact them — keep them airy.
- Butter the cut sides of the buns and set them nearby, ready for toasting.
- Have the cheese sliced and within arm's reach. Smash burgers cook faster than you expect.
Method
- 01
Get the surface properly hot
Heat the cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high for a full 5 minutes. It should be hot enough that a drop of water skitters across the surface.
- 02
Smash
Place a beef ball on the hot surface (add a small handful of shaved onion on top if using). Lay a parchment square over it and press firmly with the spatula for 10 seconds, flattening it to about ¼ inch. Peel the paper off.
- 03
Season and sear
Season the patty and cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, until the edges are dark and lacy and the top is visibly turning from pink to gray.
- 04
Flip and cheese
Scrape under the patty firmly with the spatula — you want all that crust to come with it. Flip once and immediately lay a slice of cheese on top. Cook 1 minute more.
- 05
Toast the buns
Move the patties to a plate and toast the buttered buns cut-side down in the same pan for 30–45 seconds, until golden and soaked in the beef fat.
- 06
Build and serve
Stack one or two patties per bun and serve immediately. A smash burger waits for no one.
Kitchen Notes
- 80/20 ground beef gives you the crust and juiciness this technique needs. Leaner beef works but will be drier.
- Don't salt the raw balls ahead of time — salt draws moisture to the surface and works against the sear.
- Cook in batches and don't crowd the pan. Two patties at a time in a 12-inch skillet is right.
- For food-safety guidance, ground beef should be cooked through — follow the USDA's current minimum internal temperature recommendation for ground beef.
How to Serve It
- Keep it simple: cheese, pickles, onion, and a sauce you like.
- A diner-style sauce — mayo, ketchup, mustard, pickle brine — takes two minutes and tastes right.
- Serve with a sheet-pan of oven fries or a simple slaw.
Storage & Leftovers
- Refrigerate cooked patties within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days.
- Raw ground beef should be used within 1–2 days of thawing, or frozen for up to 3–4 months.
- Reheat patties in a hot skillet, not a microwave, to keep the crust.
Using Another Cut?
Ground Beef, leaner blend
Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan and shorten the cook slightly.
More recipes with this cut
Weeknight Beef Tacos
Seasoned ground beef, warm tortillas and a table everyone builds themselves — dinner in twenty minutes with almost no cleanup.
Homestyle Beef Meatballs
Tender, well-seasoned meatballs that hold together in sauce and taste even better the next day.
Sunday Beef Chili
A deep, slow-simmered chili built on ground beef and toasted chiles — the kind that's better on the second day.
Ground Beef, delivered from the farm.
Choose the Alaron Farms box that fits your household, set your delivery rhythm and tell us how your family likes to cook.